Get out and volunteer for National Mentoring Month

South Bergenite

January is National Mentoring Month. First proclaimed by President Bush in 2002, it is an annual, high-profile campaign to draw attention to the need for more volunteer mentors to help America's young people achieve their full potential.

Created by the Harvard School of Public Health and MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership, National Mentoring Month is marking its 12th year in 2013.

The website for National Mentoring Month, nationalmentormonth.org, recommends the following:

* Become a mentor in your community.

* Partner with a mentoring organization.

* Make a donation to a mentoring organization in your community.

Research has shown that programs that rely on volunteer mentors can play a powerful role in reducing drug abuse and youth violence while greatly enhancing a young person's prospects for leading a healthy and productive life.

The local partner in the effort is the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, headquartered in Hackensack.

The center coordinates and provides training for mentoring programs.

Anyone interested in the center's mentoring programs can call 201-489-9454 or visit bergenvolunteers.org.

For more information about National Mentoring Month, visit www.mentoring.org; nationalservice.org; or usaservice.org.

Get out and volunteer for National Mentoring Month

South Bergenite

January is National Mentoring Month. First proclaimed by President Bush in 2002, it is an annual, high-profile campaign to draw attention to the need for more volunteer mentors to help America's young people achieve their full potential.

Created by the Harvard School of Public Health and MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership, National Mentoring Month is marking its 12th year in 2013.

The website for National Mentoring Month, nationalmentormonth.org, recommends the following:

* Become a mentor in your community.

* Partner with a mentoring organization.

* Make a donation to a mentoring organization in your community.

Research has shown that programs that rely on volunteer mentors can play a powerful role in reducing drug abuse and youth violence while greatly enhancing a young person's prospects for leading a healthy and productive life.

The local partner in the effort is the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, headquartered in Hackensack.

The center coordinates and provides training for mentoring programs.

Anyone interested in the center's mentoring programs can call 201-489-9454 or visit bergenvolunteers.org.

For more information about National Mentoring Month, visit www.mentoring.org; nationalservice.org; or usaservice.org.